ISS director: We have prevented 'significant' number of Russian attacks

Russian strikes killed at least four people in and around Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, on Wednesday, according to authorities. The attacks targeted the city's energy infrastructure, resulting in power cuts and damage to homes and businesses. Heavy explosions echoed throughout the night as Kyiv endured almost non-stop air alerts, warning residents to seek shelter in bomb shelters from ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drone attacks.

The Russian defence ministry confirmed it had carried out a large-scale missile and drone strike on Kyiv and the surrounding area, targeting the city's power grid. Ukraine's main energy provider, DTEK, reported that the grid was indeed damaged and affected power supplies to thousands of households. However, they managed to restore electricity to around 8,000 homes quickly, referring to the incident as "another difficult night for the capital."

The city's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, reported that a driver at a local utility firm was killed when a warehouse came under attack, while two others perished in separate incidents. The emergency services confirmed a child was found dead under the rubble of a residential building destroyed in the broader Kyiv region. Russia has been employing newer, jet-powered drones that are more difficult to intercept than traditional models, often originating from Iran.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on Ukraine's allies for additional military assistance, particularly US-made interceptors to counter ballistic missiles. The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, expressed alarm at the escalating daily attacks and civilian casualties in Ukraine.